City choked by blaze at plastics plant
SUFFOCATING plumes of dense, black smoke blanketed Hull yesterday as flames threatened to engulf homes following a major factory fire in the city.
Residents reported hearing ‘huge explosions every ten seconds’ as the blaze ripped through Bridgewood Plastics in Hessle.
One local said: ‘I heard a ferocious bang. I had no idea what it was and then saw there was a thick cloud of smoke across the city.’
Homes had to be evacuated and roads were closed while dozens of firemen fought for hours to bring the fire at the Saxon
Way site under control. The flames and smoke could be seen for miles and those living near to the premises were urged by police to keep windows and doors shut.
Many pubs and shops in the area were also closed as a precaution. No one was reported to have been injured in the fire. Local resident Cory Simmonds, 27, told the BBC: ‘We were very close. The fire is just raging. ‘There were bangs going off and the house was literally shaking. The windows were moving. It was quite awful.’